Catch me if you can
by Kilrez
Summary: The pretender is back home but not for long


Disclaimer: don't own 'em, not making nuffin' off 'em, no infringement intended  
  
Jarod lay, eyes open but unseeing, staring blankly at the ceiling. In the monitoring room Parker and Sydney held a worried conference. "It's the Centre, it's driving him mad. Look at him, he's sick." That was Sydney, as always concerned and compassionate.  
  
"The Triumberate will never let him out, he'll die first. You'll just have to find a way to make him better." Ms. Parker turned and stalked out of the room. Sydney sighed and turned back to the feed from the surveillance camera.  
  
After three years of chasing Jarod, the special team assembled to catch the runaway prodigy had finally succeeded. He had been trying to save a bystander from being hit in the crossfire of a police shoot out and had been hit by a car that knocked him unconscious. In the month back at the Centre his physical injuries had healed. Unfortunately, his mental health was steadily declining.  
  
Syd slid back the peephole into the cell and peered in. Jarod hadn't moved. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, making sure it locked behind him. Despite his objections Sydney would not go as far as to cross the Triumberate.  
  
"Morning Jarod." Syd said, trying to sound cheerful. There was a long pause. Jarod didn't move. "If you stare at them long enough, they start to move in on you." Sydney jumped. That was the first time he'd said anything in two days. "What's moving in on you Jarod?"  
  
"The walls." Unexpectedly Sydney shivered. HhHe trie He tried to put it out of his mind. "Come on then, let's stop staring at them. The Triumberate have got a new simulation for you." Jarod sighed and heaved himself off the bed. He was shockingly thin and his complexion was waxy. Sydney studied him.  
  
The bright boy he had trained and the elusive man he had chased were both gone. As they walked the dim Centre corridors, Jarod shuffled quietly along, shoulders slumped. Sydney tried to prod him to speak again. "Why aren't you eating Jarod?"  
  
"If you sat in death row would you feel hungry?"  
  
"The Centre isn't death row."  
  
"Only to those who aren't the prisoners."  
  
Sydney gave up and they entered the room where the simulation was set up.  
  
Jarod barely tried to solve it. He just sat there among the aeroplane equipment while the numbers flashed on the screen. Sydney gave up for the day and Jarod was returned to his cell, to lie sleeplessly.  
  
Later that night Sydney was woken by the Centre alarms. He dressed rapidly and ran to the control room. Broots, Parker and Rains were already there. "What's going on?" Panted Sydney.  
  
"He's escaped." Said Parker grimly, although Syd saw a shadow of a smile tug at her lips. Broots was sitting at a computer, typing madly. Syd could see the various perspectives of the cameras flashing across the screen. "Found him," said Broots breathlessly.  
  
"Close the exits," ordered Mr. Rains. Broots typed some more and a red light flicked to life on the console. On the screen a door slid down in front of Jarod. He slid to a halt and stood coughing. "Mmm, go and get him." Growled Mr. Rains and the two followed a gun wielding Ms. Parker to where Jarod was trapped.  
  
He was leaning on the wall, his breath coming in rasps. Syd felt a wave of consternation wash though him and he saw a similar emotion on both Broots and Parker's faces. Jarod turned to the number pad at the door and worked the cover off. "Freeze Jarod!" Yelled Parker. He didn't stop. They continued advancing. Jarod looked up and Syd saw a spark in his eye- He was enjoying this! Suddenly he produced a gun from his jacket.  
  
The three pursuers stopped suddenly. "Drop the gun Jarod." He shook his head and levelled it at them. Then he raised it higher and with a single shot, took out the surveillance camera. He put the safety on and tossed the gun to Syd. "Refuge."  
Sydney smiled. No one would know. Broots would follow him but Parker looked undecided. He levelled the gun at her. Jarod continued working the pad. "This is suicide Syd."  
  
"We can say he opened it before we got here." She shook her head but consented as the panel slid up. As he dashed out of the building they heard him say "Catch me if you can!" before he disappeared out of sight.  
  
The End 


End file.
